The Letter
by ObsessedwReading
Summary: In which Hephaestus delivers a note to the Seven, written by Leo before his 'death.'


The Letter

Chapter 1

Author's notes: I don't own Percy Jackson & The Olympians or The Heroes of Olympus. If I did that would be amazing... but unfortunately I don't.

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><p>Leo was working on Festus's body inside of the Argo II. He had managed to avoid Piper and Jason. They had wanted to talk to him about what had happened when they went to see Asclepius. They wanted to know why the god had looked at Leo sadly and said. "Oh my."<p>

Leo sighed as he took another break from his machines. If his plan worked then he would be killed in the process and then brought back. But if not... if something went wrong. Then he needed to leave some sort of final goodbye for his friends.

He rummaged around in his tool belt and brought out a medium sized notebook and pen. He began to write...

It was weeks later after the final battle when Hephaestus visited Camp Half-Blood to deliver a note to the Seven. Leo had given it to him before Zeus had slapped them (literally) back to long Island.

_"Dad?" The Hispanic boy said hesitantly._

_"Yes, Leo?" The mechanic looked at the fire-user. _

_"Can you give this to The rest of the seven for me? After the war's over that is." _

_Hephaestus' eyebrows furrowed in confusion. "Why can't you yourself?"_

_"You don't want to know, Dad."_

_"Leo?" He looked concerned._

_"Just please Dad. Promise me this one thing." _

_"Okay." he said after a few moments had passed. "I'll do this one thing for you."_

"Lord Hephaestus." Jason said in surprise.

They were all in the dining pavilion in Camp Half-Blood. They were all celebrating the success of the war being won against Gaea.

They kneeled before the god. He waved them off and gestured for them to stand. "Leo," his voice was chocked with emotion. He cleared his throat and tried once again to talk. "Leo, asked me to give this to you after the war."

The Seven looked surprised at this revelation. He handed it to Percy who took it gingerly as if it would explode at any moment. Percy looked at the others to ask them if they wanted to open it. They all nodded and Annabeth took the letter to open it. She cleared her throat to read.

_"Dear Jason, Piper, Percy, Annabeth, Hazel, Frank, Nico, Reyna, Coach Hedge, and to whoever else reads this, Hey, it's me, Leo Valdez, supreme commander of the Argo II. As I sit here writing this letter I'm thinking about all the possibly ways that this war could end, and all of the memories we've shared._

_ My story like any other demigods wasn't pleasant to say the least. I have been in numerous foster families, many which have been abusive. I was teased and bullied. Then I learned how to hide the pain. I learned how to fake smiles and laughs, how to tell jokes, all to hide the pain. _

_When I first started at the wilderness school with Jason and Piper. It was different. I made actual friends for a change. I actually had people who seemed to care. But of course not everything good lasts for long. At least that's how it has always been for me._

_I'll admit when I first learned that Jason's whole time at the wilderness school was fake, a mist trick of Hera's I was elated. I know it's terrible of me to feel that way. But when Piper and Jason started "dating" I was always left out. I was the third wheel. Then on the quest I became the seventh wheel. _

Piper and Jason looked like they felt extremely guilty at that line.

_Everyone had a significant other on the ship. There was Percy and Annabeth, Jason and Piper, Hazel and Frank... and then there was me Leo Valdez, the Seventh of the Seven, the outcast, the 7th wheel. I felt unneeded like I could just disappear and no one notice, or even care. And it didn't help that Nemesis told me the same things I had been thinking about all along. That I'd always be the outsider, the seventh wheel, I would never find a place among my brethren. _

_Even though Hazel tried to tell me it wasn't true, that The goddess was just messing with my head... I knew better. After all I'd been thinking that way for a while and then a goddess showed up and told me the exact things I had been thinking._

"Oh Leo." Hazel said sadly with tear filled eyes.

Frank himself looked like he might start crying any minute as well.

_I never mentioned anything though I continued to fake smiles and laughs, and joke around. Because that's who I was, the jokester, the one who was always 'happy'. _

_If you're reading this letter now I'm probably dead, or gone, or maybe even both. In case my plan didn't work the way it should, I wanted to say some sort of final goodbye to all of you._

_Because of all of you guys at Camp Half-Blood, especially cabin 9, I finally had a family and a place to call home. I was finally happy. I know that I'll miss you all terribly, but I have to do this. If I'm right then Gaea will no longer be a problem. My sacrifice will be for a good cause, for a good reason. I figured if anyone of the seven had to die; It should be me. I felt like I was the least important member of the crew and that It wouldn't matter if I was gone. _

"How could Leo ever think that?" Piper asked.

"We never really spent time with him unless it was a meeting with all of us talking on the ship about our plans for defeating Gaea and the giants." Jason realized thinking back on it now.

Percy and Annabeth looked grief-stricken as well.

_Well, I guess that's it... I love all of you guys. Because of you I had the best year of my life with you guys and I wouldn't have it any other way. I wouldn't change a single thing. No matter how bad it was, or how bad it got. So I guess this is Goodbye. _

_~Leo Valdez (Bad Boy Supreme)~_

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><p><strong>Author's notes: This is just a drabble that popped into my mind last night and I began to type it. I know it's probably terribly but hey (shrugs) at least I tried. <strong>


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